Agency News

NEW YORK

Interpublic Group has formed a new unit, Interpublic Sports and Entertainment Group, which will focus on sports and entertainment marketing. The new entity consists of four of the network’s companies: Octagon, a sports-marketing agency; PMK/HBH, an entertainment public relations agency; Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, a lifestyle, entertainment, and sports public relations and marketing company; and Amster Yard, a marketing-communications company. The group will be lead by chairman and CEO Mark Dowley, previously a vice chairman at McCann-Erickson WorldGroup. Pat Kings ley, CEO of PMK/HBH, and Michael Nyman, CEO of Bragman Nyman Cafa relli, will each take on the additional role of vice chairman of ISEG. The new unit is based in New York.

New York-based advertising agency Funky Pumpkin, which specializes in the youth market, was hired by K’NEX Industries to create and implement advertising campaigns for K’NEX and Lincoln Logs. K’NEX Industries, which is based in Hatfield, Pa., manufactures and distributes the construction-toy brands.

MRB Public Relations added four new accounts: Acceleration Media, a New York- and Johannesburg, South Africa-based e-marketing firm; Contour AV Solutions, a multimedia company, and Contour Design, a manufacturer of ergonomic devices for computer users, both based in Windham, N.H.; and the Car Wash Organization of New Jersey, a statewide group of professional car-wash services that promotes the environmental benefits of its members’ offerings. MRB is based in Red Bank, with another office in San Jose, Calif. Its investor- relations unit is located in New York.

NEW JERSEY

The Star Group added four new clients to its roster. The Cherry Hill-based advertising agency was hired by American Federal Mortgage, in Flanders; Atlantic Medical Imaging, which has locations in Egg Harbor Township, Somers Point, Mays Landing and Pomona; the National Society of Genetic Counselors, in Wallingford, Pa.; and Zinman Furs, in Penn sau ken. The shop, which also has offices in Philadelphia and Las Vegas, provides advertising, public relations, media, sales-promotion, database and interactive services.

The MWW Group’s New York office was tapped by the Intermedia Advertising Group to create a strategic media relations campaign to raise awareness of the client’s market-research capabilities. The East Ruther ford -based public relations agency is also responsible for promoting New York-based IAG’s RewardTV, an online incentive program that allows users to play TV trivia games. Separately, MWW’s Chicago office was hired by Natural Health Sciences to provide brand-development and strategic- communications services for Pycno genol, a dietary supplement. The Hillside-based client is a supplier of nutritional ingredients. MWW is charged with broadening demand for Pycnogenol in the nutraceuticals, vitamin and dietary- supplement markets.

BioTransplant hired Keating Public Relations to manage its public relations efforts. The client is a Charlestown, Mass.-based bio technology company. Stern Investor Relations, based in New York, handles BioTransplant’s investor relations. Keatingpr, which is based in Millburn, serves clients in the life-sciences, financial, technology, life style and economic-development sectors.

PENNSYLVANIA

Insight Interactive Group relocated from Wilmington, Del., to Philadelphia. The interactive-marketing agency, which was founded in 1999 with eight employees, currently has more than 40 staffers.

Schubert Communications, which handles public relations for Nilfisk-Advance America, will take on additional duties as the cli ent’s newly named integrated marketing- communications company. Malvern-based Nilfisk-Advance America designs and manufactures industrial vacuum clean ers for the chemical/pharmaceutical, electronics, food and metalworking/powder-coating industries, as well as various manufacturing applications. The business-to-business shop will create an integrated marketing-communications program that is intended to increase brand awareness, position Nilfisk-Advance America in the markets it serves and generate sales leads. The program will include advertising, public relations, direct marketing, trade show support, Web site design and other interactive services. Schubert is based in Downingtown.